Lezyne Road Drive CFH pump with cartridge

Top-quality mini/CO2 pump that'll get high pressures into both Presta and Schrader tubes

Weight:

202g

Contact:

www.upgradebikes.co.uk

Lezyne Road Drive CFH pump with cartridge

810Mat Brett

Lezyne Road Drive CFH pump with cartridge

This is a very good CO2/mini pump that'll get both Presta and Schrader inner tubes up to high pressures – although you'll need to take preventative action to avoid problems if you use Presta valves with removable cores.

The Road Drive CFH (CO2 Flex Hose) is closely related to the Lezyne Tech Drive HP pump /content/review/57390-lezyne-tech-drive-hp-pump that we reviewed earlier in the year. The main difference is that the Road Drive CFH's hose is compatible with threaded CO2 cartridges. That hose lacks, though, the Tech Drive HP's Air Bleed System, which is a button that releases air pressure in the hose.

There's plenty to like here. First, the 24cm-long pump is a sturdy CNCed aluminium construction; the barrel, the piston and the handle are all built to last. I've used it loads over the past few weeks and would say there's little chance of the two ends of the pump coming apart any time soon.

The pump attaches to your inner tube valve with the aforementioned hose and there are no annoying air leaks like you get with many mini pumps. It's a very tough Kevlar/nylon-reinforced hose that comes with a threaded aluminium chuck on the end which you switch around according to whether you want to use it on Presta or Shrader valves.

Use the Road Drive CFH as a hand pump and you can get a lot of pressure into your tyres. I got a 23c tyre from zero to 110psi in 190 strokes. It's hard work towards the end and the pump gets pretty hot, but it can certainly be done. I even managed to get a tubular up to 160psi, as Lezyne promise, although goodness knows how many strokes that took; I lost count, but it was a lot. Still, if you're desperate, you'll get there in the end.

You can also attach the hose to a valve, screw a threaded CO2 cartridge onto the other end, then back the cartridge off a touch to inflate your inner tube. It's really easy.

The only problem I had – and it's a difficulty that Lezyne warn you about – is that if you use Presta valves with a removable core, when you try to unscrew the hose from the valve, the chances are that you'll simply unscrew the core from the stem. All the air that you've just pumped into the inner tube will come rushing out again.

I put a dab of grease on the hose threads and that helped, but sometimes the core would still come out. You don't want that to happen when you're on the roadside in the drizzle, so you really need to follow Lezyne's advice and put some Loctite thread locker on the valve core threads for peace of mind. Clearly, if you use valves without removable cores, this won't be an issue.

Rubber bungs on the ends protect the threads and a little rubber collar stops the handle vibrating against the barrel as you ride. I just carried the pump in a rear pocket and it never came out accidentally but you can use the CNC-machined aluminium bracket if you prefer. It fits to your bottle cage mounts (underneath a bottle cage, if you like) and it holds both the pump and a CO2 cartridge securely.

Verdict

Top-quality mini/CO2 pump that'll get high pressures into both Presta and Schrader tubes.

road.cc test report

Make and model: Lezyne Road Drive CFH pump with cartridge

Size tested: n/a

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Lezyne say, "The compact, high-pressure Road Drive hand pump combined with the convenience of a CO2 inflator to make an all in one inflation system. The CFH, with Twist-Puncture Operation, easily and quickly inflates tires to riding pressure with the threaded CO2 cartridge. The CFH can also be used with the pump to inflate tires. The Road Drive CFH is made of 100% CNC-machined aluminum parts for a lightweight and precise construction. The CNC-machined aluminum bracket secures the pump and one threaded 16g CO2 cartridge to the bike frame. Not compatible with ABS."

That just about covers it.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

If you're fed up with press-on mini pumps that let air escape, the Road Drive has a hose that's threaded at both ends with rubber O-rings to prevent any leakage.

Rate the product for quality of construction:

9/10

Rate the product for performance:

8/10

Excellent performance - as long as you make sure in advance that removable Presta valve cores won't come undone.

Rate the product for durability:

9/10

The shiny aluminium is bound to get scuffed and scratched over time but this is a tough pump and the hose is reinforced with Kevlar/nylon so it should last for ages.

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:

7/10

You can get lighter. The alloy construction and bracket, and the use of a threaded hose all add weight - but they also add durability and convenience.

Rate the product for value:

7/10

You can get much cheaper, but you are paying for a high-quality product here.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Really well – as long as you know about the removable Presta valve core thing.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The tough aluminium construction; the fact that it didn't fell like it would fall apart in use; the ability to pump tyres up to high pressures.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The fact that it takes out removable Presta valve cores unless you Loctite them in place to start with.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Possibly not because I do tend to use removable valve cores and the chances of me remembering to Loctite them in place every time are small.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 41 Height: 190cm Weight: 75kg

I usually ride:My best bike is:

I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding,

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Mat has worked for loads of bike magazines over 20+ years, and been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. He's been road.cc technical editor for eight years, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. We send him off around the world to get all the news from launches and shows too. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a past winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer.

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